Thermoelectric battery cooling system and method

Abstract

An exemplary electrified vehicle assembly includes a first coolant loop extending from a battery pack to a radiator, and a second coolant loop extending from the battery pack to a thermoelectric device. At least one valve is configured to permit flow through the first coolant loop to cool the battery pack under a first operating condition, and configured to permit flow within the second coolant loop to cool the battery under a second operating condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrified vehicle assembly, comprising:
 a first coolant loop extending from a battery pack to a radiator; 
 a second coolant loop extending from the battery pack to a thermoelectric device powered by an electrical system of an electrified vehicle; and 
 at least one valve configured to permit flow through the first coolant loop from the battery pack to the radiator to cool the battery pack under a first operating condition, and configured to permit flow through the second coolant loop to cool the battery under a second operating condition. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the radiator transfers thermal energy from flow within the first coolant loop to ambient air outside the electrified vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is configured to permit flow through both the first and second coolant loops to cool the battery pack under a third operating condition. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a power control module configured to control power delivery from the electrical system to the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first operating condition corresponds to a first temperature, and the second operating condition corresponds to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device is a Peltier device. 
     
     
       7. An electrified vehicle assembly, comprising:
 a first coolant loop extending from a battery pack to a radiator; 
 a second coolant loop extending from the battery pack to a thermoelectric device; and 
 
       at least one valve configured to permit flow through the first coolant loop to cool the battery pack under a first operating condition, and configured to permit flow within the second coolant loop to cool the battery under a second operating condition; and
 a third coolant loop extending from the radiator to the thermoelectric device, the at least one valve configured to permit flow through the third coolant loop to cool the thermoelectric device under the second operating condition. 
 
     
     
       8. The assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a first pump and a second pump,
 the first pump configured to move flow through the first coolant loop under the first operating condition, and to move flow through the second coolant loop under the second operating condition, 
 the second pump configured to move flow through the third coolant loop under the second operating condition. 
 
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the first coolant loop overlaps at least a portion of the second coolant loop, and the second coolant loop and third coolant loops are separate and distinct from each other. 
     
     
       10. A vehicle battery pack cooling method, comprising:
 in a first operating condition, cooling a battery pack with flow moving along a first coolant loop between the battery pack and a radiator; and 
 in a second operating condition, cooling the battery pack with flow moving along a second coolant loop between the battery pack and a thermoelectric device, wherein a portion of the first coolant loop overlaps a portion of the second coolant loop. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transferring thermal energy from flow within the first coolant loop to ambient air outside an electrified vehicle at the radiator. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, in a third operating condition, cooling the battery pack with flow moving along the both the first and second coolant loops. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, in the second operating condition, powering the thermoelectric device with power from an electrical system of an electrified vehicle. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second coolant loop is entirely outside the radiator. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, in the second operating condition, cooling the thermoelectric device with flow moving along a third coolant loop between the thermoelectric device and the radiator. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the thermoelectric device is a Peltier device. 
     
     
       17. A vehicle battery pack cooling method, comprising:
 in a first operating condition, cooling a battery pack with flow moving along a first coolant loop between the battery pack and a radiator; 
 in a second operating condition, cooling the battery pack with flow moving along a second coolant loop between the battery pack and a thermoelectric device; and 
 alternating from the first operating condition to the second operating condition in response to a temperature. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, in a third operating condition, heating the battery pack with flow moving along the second coolant loop between the battery pack and the thermoelectric device.